Straight knitting machine yarn carrier control mechanism



C. F. MEYER Sept. 14, 1937.

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 a l 1 gi 7 i l f .e/ a. a l

4P5: 4| :lg K L firisimliz er, g 'ATTORN Sept. 14, 1937. c, MEYER 2,093,154

STRAIGHT KNI'IIING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1934 7 sheets-sheet 2 Q a a Q Q w a w o o Sept. 14, 1937. C./F. MEYER 2,093,154

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR:

BY 1 V FATTORN c. F. MEYER 2,093,154

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Sept. 14, 1937.

Filed May 12, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR:

L'krisi'mnf el BY W11 TTORNEW C. F. MEYER L Sept. 14; '1937.

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 p 7- c. F. MEYER 2,093,154

STRAIGHT-KNITTING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR: ClzrisizZmZ'M 1-,

Sept. 14, 1937. c MEYER 2,093,154

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRAIGHT xm'r'rme momma man CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Christian F. Meyer, Wyomissing, Pa assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa... a corporation of Pennsylvania I Application May 12, 1934, Serial No. 725,284

8 Claims. (Cl. 66-127) The above-recited example, of reciprocating three of the rods in sequence, has more recently been extensively practiced'in laying three yarns of like color, material and characteristics, in the knitting or a silk stocking, as distinguished from the moreusual practice of knittinga stocking from one yarn supply. By knitting a stocking from a plurality of yarn supplies sequentially in its several courses, a better average texture is obtained, free from the so-cailed rings or shadowsfl An object of the invention is, therefore, to control the movements of the carriers in a simple, effective, accurate and certain manner, and to enable to be made a desired selection of the rods and the sequence of operation thereoi for any purpose, particularly for a three-thread fabric of the type above mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide selector mechanism for traversing a plurality of yarn carrier bars "in predetermined sequence, comprising a device for locking the bars and selectively releasing them for actuation by the Coulier or other reciprocating mechanism, the device including rotary means adjacent to the locking means for direct engagement therewith, whereby to reduce the number of parts and simpliiy their form and operation. Preferably, and as shown, the rotary lock release means rotates continuously in one direction to thus further simplify the parts, reduce the wear and the complication of movements of the elements and-to obtain other advantages.

Another object of thev invention is to provide a device of the above-indicated character that is simple and durable in construction, economical to" operative relationship, as hereinafter more par- I .ticulariy pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings? Figure '1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a plurality of carrier rods of a flat knitting machine as drawing individual threads from a plurality of yarn cones respectively;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one order or cycle in which three carriers are successively actuated to lay the threads respectively controlled thereby to the needles of the knitting machine;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinally contracted plan. view of suflicient of a fiat knitting machine to illus-. trate the application 01' the mechanism of the present invention thereto:

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalelevation taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, showing the carrierselecting mechanism in detail;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation as viewed in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of certain cam members showninFig.5; I f

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the linel-I, Fig. 3, showing the ratchet mechanism for intermittently rotating the carrier-selector shaft on which the selector cams are secured;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7:

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 9-4, Big. 3, showing the mechanism for preventing over-running or rotary drifting of the selector shalt;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line Ill-l0, Fig. 9;

-Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line ll-i I, Fig. 3, showing the carrierlocking mechanism, the carrier-releasing mechanism .and the selector shaft ratchet'operating, mechanism;

Figs. 12 and 13 are sectional elevations taken on the line |2--l2, Fig. 11, showingthe carrierlockingmechanism in diflerent positions;

Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line ll-ll, Fig. 3, showing the synchronizingnnechanism between the selector mecha-. nism and the releasing mechanism:

Fig. 15 is a rear elevation of the synchronizing mechanism as viewed from the plane, lI-li, Fig. Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the line l6-i6, Fig. 3;

' Figs. 17 to 22, l'lcto 22a and 17b to 22b diagrammatically illustrate the synchronization 0! essary to a full and complete understanding of the invention are therein shown, the various other parts and mechanisms, and the manner of operation thereof, being well known in the art, as shown and described in detail, in the "Rea-ding Full Fashioned Knitting Machine Catalogue, copyright 1929, and published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania.

In a full fashioned hosiery knitting machine, of the above-mentioned type, selected for illustrating the present invention, there are eight carrier bars, I to 8, inclusive, (see Figs. 3 and 4),

which are mounted in parallel laterally spaced relation to each other, for independent longitudinal reciprocation, in a plurality of relatively spaced carrier rod brackets In which are secured to the center bed beam ll of the machine, said beam, in turn, being secured to the main center and end frames |2|2 thereof.

The carrier rods i to 8, inclusive, are adapted to be reciprocated by the usual Coulier motion of the machine through a longitudinally reciprocable slide rod l3 (see Fig. 4) on which is slidably mounted a series of usual friction boxes (not shown) and a special friction box l4, which may be operated as an ordinary box in the series for manual connection to, and release from, one of the carrier rods, and has special construction and operation, as hereinafter appears.

The present application, as a matter of illustration, involves the use of but three of the carrier rods, namely numbers 2, 3" and 5, for the sake of convenience.

As shown in Fig, 1, the carrier rods 2, 3 and 5, are provided with thread guides 2a, 3a and 5a,

respectively. The thread guides 2a, 3a and 5a receive and control individual knitting threads X Y and Z respectively, which are drawn thereby from three separate yarn cones X, Y and Z, through the usual tensioning and moistening devices diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1.

The thread guides 2a, 3a and 5a are adapted to lay their respective threads X Y and Z to one and the same group of needles I5, (Fig. 1) in a predetermined order, each for knitting in the present case but a. single course of stitches at any .one time, and with no one of said threads being served to the needles for the formation of another course of stitches until each of the other threads X Y or Z as the case may be,has been knitted into a single course of stitches.

In the present case, the selection of the carrier rods in a. definite predetermined order is effected automatically. As a matter of illustration the three threads are arranged to be fed .to 'the neei' es in the order X Y Z which is repeated in corresponding cycles throughout the knitting ,of the length of the fabric, each thread making 'but a single course of stitches in its turn in each cycle.

At the front of the machine, at substantially the longitudinal center thereof, a selector mechanism is provided. This mechanism constitutes, in one aspect of the invention, an element there of, in combination with other elements, but not being per se a part of the invention, only a sufficient description thereof is given herein for a clear understanding of its operation in the combination. As part of this mechanism, the carrier rods 2, 3 and 5 are provided with actuating dogs 2b, 3b and 5b, respectively, by which these rods are adapted to be selectively and automatically connected to one of the friction boxes l4 by one or the other of a pair of connecting fingers hi or l9, as the case may be, which are carried by a rod selecting rocker element 22.

The selector or rocker 22 is mounted for pivotal movement on and relative to the friction box l4, about the axis of a short shaft 26 which is secured in the selector and pivotally mounted in bearings 28, 28 formed on arms 29, 29 which extend laterally from one side of the friction box I4.

The arms 29, 29 are also provided with the second pair of bearings 30, 30 which encircle and are adapted to be moved longitudinally of a selector shaft 3|, which latter extends parallel to the slide rod l3 and carrier rods to '8, inclusive.

The shaft 3| is rotatably mounted in bearings 32, 32 which are carried by fixed brackets 36 secured to a suitable portion of the frame of the machine.

Adjacent to the bearings 30, 3|) (see Fig. 5) is a pair of selector cams 4| and 42, respectively, each of which is provided with a sleeve-like hub 43 which is splined to the shaft 3| and is rotatably mounted in the bearing 30 adjacent to which the cam is positioned. Each sleeve hub 43 extends beyond the opposite side of the bearing at which its particular cam is located and is provided with a collar 44 secured thereto adjacent to its outer end, to prevent relative axial movement between the bearing and the cam, whereby, under longitudinal reciprocation of the friction box |4, said cams will be accordingly reciprocated relative to and on the selector shaft 3| during each stroke of reciprocation of the friction box l4 as it efiects longitudinal movement of one of the carrier rods 2, 3 or 5, as the case may be, through the selector 22 and fingers l8 and I9 carried thereby, to lay the thread controlled by the guide thereon to the needles l5 of the machine for the formation of a single course of stitches.

At the end of each needle-traversing stroke of reciprocatory movement of the friction box H, the selector shaft 3| is rotated, in the present instance through an angle of 60, whereby the carrier rod previously 'moved by the friction box is released therefrom and whereby an operative connection is established between the friction box and another of the thread bars, depending upon the position to which the selector 22 on the friction box 4 is moved by the above noted partial rotation of the shaft 3|.

The intermittent 60 rotations of the selector shaft 3| cause the cams 4| and 42 cooperatively to rock the selector 22 about its pivot, to release the connecting finger, l8 or l9 as the case may,

be, from the last operative carrier rod and to engage one 'of said fingers with the dog of the carrier rod next in turn to be actuated.

The selective rocking of the selector 22 by the cams 4| and 42 is effected through rollers 4|a and 420 which are respectively engaged by the cams 4| and 42, said rollers 4|a. and 42a being rotatably mounted in angularly spaced relation to each other and to the axis of the pivot shaft 25, on the selector 22.

The intermittent 60 rotations of the selector shaft 3| are effected by mechanism shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 11. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8,

' gagement with the ratchet wheel 58 by a spring 54 having, one end secured to said pawl and its opposite end secured to the pawl carrier 5|.

Pivotally attached at 55 to-the pawl carrier 5| is one end of a hnk 56,.the opposite end of which (see Fig. 11) is pivotaily connected at 51 to one arm 58 of a lever 59, which latter is pivotally mounted at 60 on a bracket 6| secured to one of the main longitudinal beams 62 of the machine. The second arm 63' of the lever 59 is provided with a cam follower in the form of a roller 64 which engages the peripheral edge of a'cam 65 secured to the main cam shaft 66 of the machine.

As usual in full fashioned hosiery knitting machines, the mafin cam shaft 68 is adapted to be shogged axially to effect narrowing of the fabric by inwardly transferring groups of stitches adjacent to each of the selvage edges.

of the fabric being knit on the bank of needles I5, during which time the thread carrier rods remain idle. In order to prevent disruption of the predetermined order in which the thread carriers are to be operated, in accordance with the present invention, 'shogging of the shaft 66 moves the cam 55 from under the roller 88 and moves a substantially circular disc 81 into alignment with said roller, whereby rotation of the shaft 85, while effecting the above noted narrowing of the fabric, does not eifect any intermittent rotation of the selector shaft 3|.

Longitudinal movement of the carrier rods I to 8, inclusive, is limited by stops III, III carried by the narrowing nuts II, II at the opposite ends of the machine, respectively (see Fig. 3), said narrowing nuts being moved inwardly in the usual manner in conjunction with the'transferring of the stitches, as above referred to, by the usual narrowing screws I2 which are actuated in the usual manner from the cam shaft 68" when said shaft is shogged axially to effectsaid narrowing.

As usual, the reciprocations of the friction box slide rod I3 are uniform and greater than the maximum movement required by the friction box I4 to efiect full needle-traversing movements of the carrier rods as determined by the positions of the stops III on the narrowing nuts I|,' hence the carrier rods I to 8 engage the stops I8 and are stopped in their opposite longitudinal movements thereby. Such stopping of the carrier rods eifects similar stopping of the friction box It.

In order to prevent rebounding of the carrier rods from the stops III, each of the narrowing,

nuts II is provided with a guide bracket I3 for a pair, of arresting levers I8 which cooperate with 'end abutments 15.0! plates 18 which are respectively carried by the carrier rods I to 8,

of any one or all 0 the carrier rods at one time. 7 The arresting leve I4 and the mechanism by 1 which said levers are raised to permit the carrier rods to be moved, is standard equipment in this .type of machine and detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

"In accordance with the principles of the present invention, each of the carrier rods 2, 3 and 5, in' the present case, is individually locked against longitudinal movement except at such 1 time as one of said rods is selected to layits particular thread to the needles of the machine, w and for this purpose each of the plates I6 on the carriers 2, 3 and 5 is provided with an inclined cam surface 11 and a notch I8 immedi- 1 ately behind the inclined surface I! of said plate.

Secured to the narrowing nuts II intermediate the stops I0 and the guide bracket I3 for the. arresting levers I4 are like housings I9 in "one of which, at the left end of the machine, 2

are slidably mounted three spring pressed plungers 80, 8| and 82 adapted to cooperate with-and to lock the carrier bars 2, 3 and 5 respectively,

said plungers each being beveled at its lower end,

as indicated at 83, for engagement with the cam 2 surface." on the carrier rod with which s d plunger is associated to raise the plunger in t e housing I8 against the action of its spring 84 as the carrier rod moves into the stop-engaging position shown in Fig. 12, said plunger immediately disengaging the rear edge of the incline II with a snap action into the notch I8 behind said inclined surface and thereby locking the carrier against'movement in tion.'

The locking plungers 80, 8| and 82- are adapted to be actuated to release the rods 2, 3 and 5 at such time as said rods are selected for movement by the selector 22 on the friction box I8. There is'a completeset of locking plungers at 4 each end of the machine for holding the rods 2,

' 3 and 5 against accidental movement.

'which-is secured on a shaft 88alcarried bythe.

The locking plungers of the housing 18 at one? end of the machine, for example the left end, which .forfuture reference are identified as 88, 4 8| and 82, are adapted to be released by a series of pins constituting cam lobes 85, 85 and 8'! and like cam plungers of the housing I8 at the opp0-' site or right, end of the machine, identified as 88a, 8|a and 82a, are adapted to be released by a series of pins or cam lobes 85a, 86a and 81a, respectively.

jI'he left end series of pins are rigidly mounted in, and project radiallyfrom, a cylinder 88 which is secured to a short shaft 83 carried by the bracket I8 which issecured to the narrowing nut II-in the manner indicated in Fig. 11, and the pins 850, 88a. and 810. at the right end ofthe machine are similarly mounted in a cylinder 88a bracket 13a secured to the narrowing nut II at the said right hand end of the machine.

The shaft 88 for actuating the cylinder 88 and its cam! lobes 85, 88 and 81 at the left hand end of the machine is actuated by a gear 88 secured thereto and meshing with a-gear 8| which is splined .to a releasing shaft 83 which extends across the back of the machine from end to end thereof, y actuat the cylinder 88a and its cam lobes 85a, 88a and 81a is actuated by a gear 884: securedthereto and meshing with a gear 8|a which is also splined to the releasing shaft 83.

The releasing lobes u, a, :1 at the left end of an opposite direc- 7 I a .n

shown in Fig. 3. The shaft Ir-for themachineare d|spoeed apart attheone 75 end of the shaft 93, and the releasing lobes 85a, 88a and 81a at the opposite end of the shaft are arranged correspondingly in 120 spaced relation to each other, for actuating the plungers 89, 8| 82, 89a, 8|a and 82a in predetermined timed relation one to the other. a

The releasing shaft 93, like the selector shaft 3|, is adapted to be turned in intermittent steps of 60 and for the purpose of so operating the shaft 93, in synchronization with the shaft 3|, the shaft 3| is provided with a sprocket wheel 94 and the shaft 93 is provided with a sprocket wheel 95. Extending around the sprocket wheels 94 and 95 is a drive chain 98 (see Figs. 3, 14

and 15).

The gear 9| is mounted on, and splined to, the shaft 93 and is provided in its hub 92 with a circumferential groove for the reception of a forked arm 91 which is carried by the bracket 19, whereby, as the.-narrowing nut 1| at the left hand end of the machine moves inwardly, the gear 9| is correspondingly. moved axially along the shaft 93. The hub 92a of the gear 9|a is similarly grooved for reception of a forked arm 91a, which is carried by the bracket 19a associated with the narrowing nut H at the right hand end of the machine for movement therewith.

In order to prevent excess rotary movement of the shafts 3| and 93, the shaft 3| is provided with a brake disc 98 mounted on one end thereof adjacent to and in contact with, a flat braking surface 99 formed on one of the brackets 38 by which the shaft 3| is supported, said brake disc 98 being pressed against the braking surface 99 by a convex spring disc I99 mounted on a squared portion |9| formed on one end of the shaft 3|, the tensioning of the disc I99 being controlled by a pair of nuts |92 threaded on a reduced end |93 of the shaft 3|.

The operation of the carrier rod locking and releasing mechanism forming the subject of the present invention, through a complete cycle involving the knitting of six interlooped courses of stitches by three different threads, will be fully understood upon referring to the illustrations of Figs. 2, 17 to 22; 17a to 22a and 17b to 221), in-

clusive.

With the finger |8 of the selector 22 in contact with thedog 2b of the carrier rod 2, the friction box l4 first moves to the right, as indicated by the arrows a in Figs. 2 and 17, respectively, until the right end of the carrier rod 2 engages its stop 19 at the right end of the machine. At such time, the rod 2 is locked, in the manner above noted, by the plunger 89a (see Fig. 171)).

The shafts 3| and 93 are then synchronously rotated to the extent of 60, whereby the looking plunger 8|a (see Fig. 18b) is actuated to release the carrier 3 and the selector 22 is rocked to move the finger l9 into engagement with the dog 3b on the rod 3.

The friction box I then moves to the left carrying the rod 3 in the direction of the arrow b (Fig. 18) until said rod engages its stop 19 at the left end of the machine and the rod is engaged and locked against reverse movement by the locking plunger 8| (see Fig. 18a). The shafts 3| and 93 are then again rotated to the extent of 69, whereby the finger |9 of the selector 22 is moved into engagement with the dog 5b of the rod 5. At the same time, the plunger 82 (see Fig. 19a) is actuated to release "the rod 5.

The friction box M then moves to the right,

carrying the rod 5 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 19), until said rod engages its stop 19 at the right end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 82a (see Fig. 19b).

The'shafts 3| and 93 are then again rotated to I dog 2b of the rod 2. At the same time, the

plunger 89a (see Fig. 20b) is actuated to release the rod 2.

The friction box l4 then moves to the left carrying the rod 2 in the direction of the arrow d (see Fig. 20), until said rod engages its stop 19 at the left end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 89 (Fig. 20a).

The shafts 3| and 93 are then rotated 60, causing the finger |9 to be moved into engagement with the dog 3b of the rod 3, and the plunger 8| is actuated to release the rod 3 (Fig. 21a), after which, movement of the friction box l4 to the right carries the rod 3 in the direction of the arrow e, (Fig. 21), until s'aid rod engages its stop I9 at the right end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 8|a, (Fig. 21b).

The shafts 3| and 93 then move another 69 causing the finger |9 to move into engagement with the dog 5b of the rod 5, the plunger 82a (see Fig. 22b) at the same time being operated to release the rod 5.

The next movement of the friction box ll to the left carries the rod 5 in the direction of the arrow f (Fig. 22), until said rod engages its stop I9 at the left end of the machine and is engaged and locked by the plunger 82 (Fig. 220.).

The shafts 3| and 93 are thenrotated to the extent of 60 causing the finger l8 of the selector 22 to be engaged with thedog 2b of the rod 2, at the same time causing the plunger 89 (see Fig. 17a) to release said rod 2 for the beginning of a repeat of the cycle as Just described.

The 60 rotations of the shafts 3| and 93 synchronously rotate the cams 4| and 42 and the cylinders 88 and 88a; such aotuations of the cams I and 42 efiecting the selection of the rod to be actuated by the friction box I4 by rocking the selector 22 into the proper position to place one or the other of the selector fingers l8 or l9 in proper engagement with the dog 2!), 3b or 5b of the rods 2, 3 and 5, respectively; and the simultaneous actuation of the cams of the cylinders 88 and 88a with the pins 85, 85, 81, 85a, 86a and 81a thereon effecting release of the selected rod by lifting the locking plunger 89, 8|, 82, 89a, 8|a or 82a, as the case may be, out of the locking notch 18 in the selected rod.

The locking plungers 89, 8|, 82, 89a, 8|a and 82a are, respectively, provided with laterally extending shoulders I I9 (see Figs. 12 and 13) which overhang the path of rotary movement of the pins or cam lobes 85, 88, 81, 85a, 88a and 81a, respectively, and the arrangements of the pins on and around the cylinders 88 and 88a collecvention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. Ina flat knitting machine, a cam shaft, a series of parallel independently reciprocable yarn-carrier rods, carriages adjacent to opposite ends, respectively, of the rods movable toward and away from each other parallel to the rods,

a series of locking elements mounted on each carriage and slidable relative thereto perpendicularly to the rods for controlling the reciprocations of the rods, rotary means mounted on the carriages including elements for selectively releasing the locking means from the rods, a control shaft extending parallel to the rods, means operatively connecting the control shaft to each rotary means, and means for maintaining the operative connection between the control shaft and the rotary means irrespective of said movement of the carriages toward and away from each other.

2. In a flat knitting machine, a cam shaft, a plurality of yarn-carrier rods, means for reciprocating the rods, means for selectively connecting the rods to the reciprocating means, carriages adjacent to the opposite ends, respectively, of the rods and movable toward and away from each other. parallel to the rods, means on the carriages for limiting the extent of reciproca-' tion of the rods and locking each rod independently of the others against reciprocation relative to the" carriages, rotary means mounted on the carriages including elements for selectively controlling' ,the locking means to lock and release the rods, means on the carriages for actuating the rotary means, means for synchronizing the rotation of the rotary means with each other-including a control shaft extending parallel to the'rods and connected to the actuating means on each carriage, and means for rotating the control shaft.

3. In a flat knitting machine, a cam shaft, a plurality of yarn-carrier rods, means for longitudinally reciprocating the rods, means for selectively connecting the (rods to, and releasing.

them from, the reciprocating means, rotary means for actuating the selective connecting means, carriages adjacent to the opposite ends of the rods and movable toward and away from each other parallel to the rods, means on the carriages for limiting the extent of reciprocation of the rods and locking each rod independently of the others against reciprocation relative to the carriages, rotary means on the carriagesincluding elements for selectively controlling the locking means to lock and release the rods, means for synchronizing said rotary actuating means with said rotary control means including a control I shaft extending parallel to the rods, means operatively connecting the rotary actuating means to the control shaft, and means operatively connecting the rotary control means to the control shaft and maintaining the connection irrespective of said movement of the carriages toward and away from each other.

4. The combination of a series of substantially parallel independently reciprocable thread bars, variable means at theoppositeends of said bars respectively for limiting said reciprocations thereof, a series of perpendicularly slidable locking elements carried by each of said variable means for said bars respectively, a laterally extending shoulder on each locking element, a shaft rotatably mounted on each of said variable means and extending transversely of said bars, a cylinder on each of said shafts adjacent said locking elements, projections on each of said cylinders respectively engageable with the shoulders on said locking elements for independently releasing said elements from said bars, an actuating shaft rotatably mounted in parallel relation to said bars, a gear on each cylinder shaft intermeshing with a gear splined to said actuating shaft, and means carried by said variable means for sliding said splined gears on said actuating shaft.

5. The combination of a series of substantially parallel independently reciprocable thread bars,

variable means at the opposite ends of said bars respectively for limiting said 'reciprocations thereof, a series of perpendicularly slidablelocking elements carried by each of said variable means for said bars respectively, a laterally extending shoulder on each locking element, a shaft rotatably mounted on each of said variable means and extending transversely of said bars, a cylinder on each of said shafts adjacent said locking elements, projections on each of said cylinders respectively engageable with the shoulders on said. locking elements for independently releasing said elements from said bars, an actuating shaft rotatably mounted in parallel relation to said bars, a gear on each cylinder shaft intermeshing with a gear splinedto said actuating shaft, means carried by said variable means for sliding said splined gears on said actuating shaft, and means for intermittently rotating said actuating shaft.

6. In a flat knitting vmachine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connectingsaid bars to said reciprocating means, variable means adjacent the opposite ends respectively of said machine and movable toward and away from each other for limiting the extent of the reciprocations of said bars, means carried by said variable means for locking each bar independently against reciprocation relative to said variable means, a rotary cylinder carried by the variable means adjacent the locking. means thereon at,

each end of the machine, a plurality of pins carried by each cylinder for selectively releasing said bars from the locking means at such ends of the machine, means carried by each of said variable means for rotating the cylinder thereon, means for synchronizing the actuations of the cylinders at the opposite ends respectively of said machine,

including a control shaft extending from end to end of said machine and to which the cylinder means, a rotary cylinder carried by the variable means adjacent the locking means thereon at each end of the machine, a plurality of pins carried by each cylinder for selectively releasing said bars from the locking means at such ends of the machine. means carried by each of said variable means for rotating -'the cylinder thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on each of said variable means and to which the cylinders thereon are respectively secured, a common drive shaft extending from end to end of the machine for driving said cylinder shafts, a beveled gear on each cylinder shaft and an intermeshing beveled gear on and splined to said common drive shaft for movement thereon in accordance with the movements of said variable means at each end of the machine.

8. In a fiat knitting machine comprising a plurality of thread bars, means for reciprocating said bars, means for selectively connecting said bars to said reciprocating means, variable means adjacent the opposite ends respectively of'said machine and movable toward and away from each other for limiting the extent of the reciprocations of said bars, means carried by said variable means for locking each bar independently against reciprocation relative to said variable means, a rotary cylinder carried by the variable means. adjacent the locking means thereon at each end of the machine, a plurality of pins carsaid bars from the locking means at such ends of the machine, means carried by each of said variable means for rotating the cylinder thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on each of said variable means and to which the cylinders thereon are respectively secured, a common drive shaft extending from end to end of the machine for driving said cylinder shafts, a beveled gear on each cylinder shaft and an intermeshing beveled gear on and splined to said common drive shaft for movementthereon in accordance with the movements of said variable means at each end of the machine, and a forked arm carried by each of said variable means and operating in a groove in the splined gear adjacent thereto for assuring movement of the gear on the common drive shaft in accordance with the movement of said variable means.

CHRISTIAN F. MEYER.

-ried by each cylinder for selectively releasing 

